Wall case



March 20, 1928'. 1,663,337

R. I. EUSTIS ET AL WALL CASE Filed Jan.l9, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mrch 20, 1928.

R. I. EUSTIS ET AL WALL CA S E Filed Jan. 19. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 20, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT I. EUSTIS AND FRED S. BEIGER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

WALL CASE.

Application filed January This invention relates to improvements in wall cases primarily designed to be used in stores for displaying merchandise.

An object of this invention is to provide a wall case construction of a plurality of units, which units have shelves so arranged that when the units are positioned side by side, the shelves will cooperate to give the appearance of being continuous across all of the assembled units.

Another object of this invention is to provide a wall case of improved construction having shelves so arranged as to display the goods thereon in a very eflicient and attractive manner;

A further object of this invention is to provide a wall case with drawershaving an lllll'Jl'OVGd sliding construction.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a wall case with slidable sashes or closures which are mounted on a track or carriage of improved construction.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will be made manifest inv the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective View illustrating two units of the improved wall case in assembled relation,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the frame and the manner in which the improved wall case is constructed,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through one of the wall case units,

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 illustrates the manner in which the upper sashes or sliding closures are mounted,

Fig. 7 is a sectional view illustrating the lower sash or closure construction,

Fig. 8 is a sectional view illustrating in detail the construction of the track or carriage for the closures, and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the parts of the track or carriage in assembled relation.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the improved wall case consists of two upright side me1n 19, 1926. Serial No. 82,210.

bers 10 and 11. Strips or feet 12 and 13 are secured to the lower ends of the upright side members 10 and 11 and against their inside faces. The strips 12 and 13 project forwardly from the uprights 10 and 11 and have filler pieces 14 of the same thickness as the uprights 10 and 11 secured to them against their outer sides. In this manner the strips 12 and 13 together with the filler pieces 14 provide lower supporting members which project forwardly from the side mem bers 10 and 11 and which are flush with their outside faces. Strips 15 and 16 are secured against the inside faces of the side members 10 and 11 and have filler pieces 17 secured to them, forming second supporting members which are secured to the upright side members above the lower supporting members and which project forwardly therefrom. Struts 18 may be employed to connect the two pair of supporting members to the lower supporting members so as to brace the supporting members. It will be noted that the upper supporting members are preferably so arranged that they do not project quite as far as the lower supporting members. A back B formed of suitable boards or equiva lent material can be secured across the rear edges of the side members 10 and 11.

A stationary shelf 19 is secured between the side members 10 and 11 above the second supporting members and projects forwardly beyond the forward edges of the side members. The forward edge of the stationary shelf is so arranged that it does not project quite as far as the second supporting members. Suitable stiles or braces 20 may be secured to the shelf and second supporting members in the manner indicated to brace the shelf and to present an ornamental appearance. It will be noted that the forward portion of the shelf is wider than the rearward portion so that the end edges of the shelf are flush with the outside faces of the side members. Adjacent the upper ends of the side members 10 and 11 there are secured strips 21 and 22 which have filler pieces 23 secured to them and which provide top supporting members projecting forwardly from the upper ends of the side members 10 and 11. The distances which these supporting members project are approximately equal to the distance which the stationary shelf 19 projects. The lower supporting members have their front and rear ends connected by transverse members 24-, which transverse members may be connected by acentral brace 25.

On top of the lower supporting members and the transv-rse Il'lCl'llbCl'S 2i there is built a suitable floor 26 for the wall case. Similar transverse members 27 and 28 connect the forward and rear ends of the upper or second supporting members, and a partition member 29 is supported thereon. Against theunder sides o'l. the top supporting members there may be secured a root 80. In the forward edges of the side members 10 and ll'between the top supporting members and the shelf 19 and between the second supporting members and the bottom supporting members there are formed a plurality of apertures or recesses 31, which are capable of receiving rods 32. apertures are also formed in the struts 18 so that the rods which are inserted in the apertures 31 between. the lower and second supporting members may extend through the struts. The apertures 31 provide for adjustment of the rods 32 vertically, thus adjusting the supports for adjustable shelves to be later described. On the inside faces of the side members 10 and 11 there are formed double columns of apertures or recesses 33 adapted to receive lugs on the backs of channels Pet and angles Adjustable shelves are provided, the upper shelves being indicated at 36. These shelves have their rea r portions narrower than their forward. portions, and are similar in appearance to the stationary shell? 19. Their end edges which are rearmost are positioned in the channels 3 1, while their forward edges are flush with the outside faces of the side members 10 and 11. The forward portions of the upper shelves 36 rest on the projecting portions 01? the rods 32. The lower shelves 37 are similar in construction to the upper shelves 36 having their rear edges resting on the angles 35 and their forward edges resting on. the lower rods 32. These shelves, however, are provided with notches to receive the struts 18. They have their end edges flush with the outside surfaces of the side members 10 and 11.

Over the forward edges of the adjustable shelves 36 and 87 there are positioned slidable glass closures, indicated at 38 and 39. The upper edges of these glass closures slide in recesses 10 provided upon the rooi or top 30. The lower edges of the glass closures are fitted within channels 41 which are secured to channels 42. On the r-ztationary shelf 19 there are provided channels 1-8.

Between the channels 4C2 and 43 there are ar ranged two strips of hard liber or equivalent material. indicated at 44-. and These strips have apertures formed in them which are counterbored so as to permit balls 4.6 to {it Within them. The two strips are secured together and are so arranged that they do not contact with the interior surfaces of the channels 42 and 4-3. As the edges of the channels engage on the sides of the walls, this tracker carriage for tl-ieglass closures provides a very easy running and noiseless construction. Also, any dirt which should happen to accumulate in the bottom of the channel 13 will not interfere with the operation. The two ,glass closures are a little greater in width than one-half of the width of the wall case unit so that they slightly overlap, but can be shiftcdfrom side to side. In a similar manner glass closures 457 and 4:8 arepositioned over the forward edges of the lower shelves 37, having their upper edges-slidable in grooves in the transverse member 22' and their lower edges provided with carriages or tracks, clearly shown in Fig. 7.

Drawers L9 and 50 are slidable between the second supporting members and the par tition member 29, and on top of the second supporting members and. the partition member 29 there is provided a table top T, preterably formed of glass, so that the contents of the drawers may be viewed. The manner in which these drawers aremounted is as follows: Adjacent the top of each side of each drawer there is formed a groove 51 in which is disposed a channel metallic wear strip 52. Also adjacent the lower edges of the second supporting members or the partition member .29 there are formed grooves 53 lined with metallic wear strips'hd. A metal slide 55 is positioned between the side 0tthedrawer and supporting member or the partition. member, as the case may be, and has its top and bottom edges bent to provide flanges and '57, which are disposed within the wear strips 52 and .54. Adjacent the endsot the top and bottom edges'of the slides 55 there are formed stops 58 and 59, and clips or braClrets'bO are fastened to the sides of the drawer and to the sides of the second supporting members andpartition member 29, which i'naintain the flanges 56 and 57 in their respective wear strips and which are engageable on the stops. This type of slide provides'for the complete withdrawal of the drawers 49 andfit) (from beneath the table top T.

it will be noted that when two or more wall case units are positioned side by side, they have flat side taces which evenly .abuteachv other and that shelves of adjacent wall. case units have abutting end edges. Consequently, the shelves give an appearance oi: being continuous across all of the units. Furthermore, merchandise can be positioned on them across all the units forwardly of the forward side edges ilOan'd 11. It is also possible to remove any article from the shelvesby merely shifting the required glass closure.

From the above it will be readily appreciated' that it is possible to keep a plurality of these wall case units in stock, and in equipping a store a plurality of units can be shipped to the store and placed against the wall. After they have been so placed, they will give the general appearance of being continuous the complete length of the wall, and, if desired, suitable lineal finish material can be secured to the forward faces of the transverse members 24 and across the forward ends of the top supporting members. Furthermore, it is not necessary that the sides of the Wall case units be at right angles to the back, but they can be at another angle, if desired,so that when the wall case units are assembled, they will provide shelves extending around corners in the building.

It will be understood that various changes in the detail of construction may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A wall case unitcomprising two upright side members, supporting members projecting forwardly from said side mem bers, shelves mounted between said side members having their end edges flush with the faces of said side members, whereby when a plurality of said units are assembled side by side, the end edges of the shelves will abut each other forwardly of said side members so as to present shelves of continuous appearance extending across all of the units, and closures mounted upon said supporting members adapted to close over the forward edges of said shelves whereby when a plurality of units are placed side by side, said closures may be completely slid from one unit to another.

2. A wall case unit comprising two upright side members, supporting members projecting forwardly from said side members, shelves mounted between said side members having their end edges flush with the faces of said side members, whereby when a plurality of said units are assembled side by side, the end edges of the shelves will abut each other forwardly of said side members so as to present shelves of continuous appearance extending across all of the units, and glass closures slidably mounted upon said supporting members adapted to slide back and forth in planes forwardly of the forward edges of said shelves whereby when a plurality of units are placed side by side, said closures may be completely slid from one unit to another.

3. A wall case unit comprising side members, supporting members secured to said side members adjacent the bottom thereof and projecting forwardly therefrom, supporting members secured to the side members above the first mentioned supporting members and projecting forwardly therefrom a less distance than the first support ing members, a stationary shelf constituting a supporting member secured between said side members above the second mentioned supporting members and projecting forwardly of the side members a less distance than the second mentioned supporting members, top supporting members secured to the upper ends of said side members and pro jecting forwardly therefrom substantially the same distance as the stationary shelf, transverse members connecting the first supporting members, the second supporting members and the top supporting members, shelves mounted between the side member-s projecting forwardly therefrom and having end edges flush with the outside faces of said side members, and means providing a table top on said second supporting members.

4. A wall case unitcomprising side members, supporting members secured to said side members adjacent the bottom thereof and projecting forwardly therefrom, supporting members secured to the side members above the first mentioned supporting members and projecting forwardly therefrom a less distance than the first supporting members, a' stationary shelf constituting a supporting member secured between said side members above the second mentioned supporting members and projecting forwardly of'the side members a less distance than the second mentioned supporting members, top supporting members secured to the upper ends of said side members and projecting forwardly therefrom substantially the same distance as the stationary shelf, transverse members connecting the first sup porting members, the second supporting members and the top supporting members, shelves mounted between the side members projecting forwardly therefrom and having end edges flush with the outside faces of said. side members, means providing a table top on said second supporting members, and closures slidably mounted between said transverse members over the forward edges of said shelves.

5. A wall case unit comprising side members, supporting members secured to said side members adjacent the bottom thereof and projecting forwardly therefrom, supporting members secured to the side members above the first mentioned supporting members and projecting forwardly therefrom a less distance than the first supporting members, a stationary shelf constituting a supporting member secured between said side members above the second mentioned supporting members and projecting forwardly of the side members a less distance than the second mentioned supporting memhere, top supporting members securedito the upper ends of said side .members and projecting forwardly therefrom substantially the same distance as the stationary shelf transverse members connecting the-first supporting members the second supporting members and the top supporting members, shelves mounted between the side members projecting forwardly therefrom and having end edges flush with the outside faces of said side members, means providing a table top on said second supporting members, and closures slidably mounted between said transverse members over the forwardedgcs of said shelves said, closures being transparent so that articles on said shelves may be viewed.

6. A wall case unit comprising sideimemhers, means connecting said side mei'nbers, there being apertures formed in the iterward edges of said side n'iembers, supporting members projecting forwardly from said side members, struts connecting said supporting members, there being apertures extending through said struts, rods adapted to be inserted into the first mentioned apertures so as toproject forwardly of said side members and through said struts, and shelves adapted to be positioned between said Side members. said shelves having their rear portions fitting between said side members and their forward portions w,icler--than their rear portions so as toirest upon the projecting rods and have their end edges forwardly of the forward edgesofthe side members flush with the outside faces of said side members.

7. A wall case unitcomprising side members, meansiconnecting said side-members, there being apertures formed in the forward edges of said side-members, supporting members extending forwardly of said side members, struts connecting said supporting members,-rods adapted to be inserted into saidfirst mentioned apertures so as to project forwardly ofsaid side members and through said struts, and shelves adapted to be positioned between said side members, said shelves havingtheir rear portionsfitting between said side members and their forward portions wider than their rear portions, there being recesses in said shelves, said struts extending through-said recesses so as to permit the shelves to rest'upon -the projecting rods and have their end edges forwardly of the forward edges-of itheiside members flush witlrthe outside faces of said side members.

In testimony whereof wehave signed our names to this specification.

ROBERT I. :EUSTIS. FRED S. :BEIGER. 

